Refrigerant container



Fam 21, 1941. K. E. ZEiDLER REFRIGERANT CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filerd Aug. 1, 1938 [n Ven/br Kaff i Z Ef/'07er Wwf/79g Jan. 21, 1941. K. E. zElDLER REFRIGERANT CONTAINER Filed Aug. 1, 19558 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [n Ven/Off f Ze/ /er Patented Jan. 21, 1941 REFRIGERAN T CONTAINER Kurt E. Zeidler, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Refrigerator Company, a corporation of Delaware Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,383

7 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a temperature within a predetermined range. 'I'his necessitates use of a cooling means in summer and a heating means in winter.

A refrigerator car comprises insulated walls, roof and floor and, when used in warm weather, a means for cooling the air as it circulates about the car. The cooling means may be fresh water ice, a mixture of ice and salt, la brine solution, or a eutectic ice consisting of frozenbrine. Said means may be placed at the ends of the car and separated by bulkheads from the lading compartment or may be suspended immediately below the ceiling.

This invention applies particularly to cars in which there are preferably a plurality of refrigerant containers near the .roof and more particularly to cars in which the containers are solid tanks designed to retain a liquid refrigerant, such as brine. Hatches are provided in the roof above the containers for the deposit of refrigerant therein. A drip pan or partition is preferably provided to catch and drain condensation dropping from the tank. A nue is also preferable to communicate between the passage above the partition and the space between the floor and the floor rack.

Refrigerator cars are used for two general purposes. They are used with a heating or cooling means, depending upon the season, to keep the lading at some predetermined temperature and they are used under ventilation when the lading is of a type that emits heat during transit. This heat must be removed to protect the lading from an injuriously high temperature. Cars having foraminous refrigerant containers are relatively easy to ventilate; it is necessary only to remove the covers from the hatches. Cars intended for use in certain types of service, however, have imperforate tanks to retain the liquid brine which is necessary to produce the low temperatures required. Since these tanks must be Water tight, they are also air tight, therefore, it is impossible to ventilate the car merely by removing covers from the hatches.

It is an object of this invention to provide means to ventilate a car equipped with brine tanks. It is a further object of the invention to 50 design the Ventilating means to insure retention of the brine. If the brine should leak from the container the car would not only be deprived of its refrigerating effect, but the lading would be exposed to damage from brine dripping on 55 it. Another object of the invention is to provide a Ventilating means easily accessible for operation. Itis a further object to design the operating means to be easily operated and preferably made adjustable to control the amount of Ventilating air entering the car.

In Jthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sec-tion of a refrigerator car equipped with 'my invention. The left half of the section is on line IL-IL of Fig. 3 and the right half on line IRf--IR of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse section showing a hatch cover arranged for ventilation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing a Ventilating door arranged for ventila. tion.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction.

In Fig. 1 the usual parts of a refrigerator car yare shown, such an center sill 2; side sills 3; underframe cross members 4; sub-floor 5; floor 6; floor rack 1; side sheathing 8; side lining 9; auxiliary Walls I0 providing the flues II; side plates I2; cuter roof sheets I3; running board I4; ceiling I5; hatch frames I6 surrounding the hatches I'I; refrigerant tanks I8; drip pans or partitions I9; insulation 28; lading compartment 2I drain pipe 22, and a valve 23 to close the pipe 22.

The tanks I8 are made from imperforate metallic sheet, preferably Welded, and are reinforced by a series of angles 38 surrounding the tank I8 and secured thereto. A series of beams 3I are secured to the tanks I 8 and rest upon members 32 which are secured to the side Wall structure of the car. Each tank I8 has an opening in the top approximately the size of the hatch I'I and an upstanding ange 33 surrounding the opening and joining with the hatch frame I6. It is important that4 the tank I8 be joined to the hatch frame I6 to prevent liquid from splashing out of the container during jolting of the car which occurs in service.

Some of the tanks I8 are provided with an aperture in the bottom thereof. Each aperture has an imperforate web 4I surrounding the aperture with reinforcing members 42 at the top of the web 4I to provide a rigid structure. A door 43 is hinged at 44 toy the tank I8 and arranged to close the flue 40 formed by the web 4 I The drawings illustrate the flue 4I) positioned in a corner of the tank I8. This arrangement would make part of the web 4I coincident with a wall of the tank I8. Since said web and wall would serve no purpose, they are removed to give the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A threaded rod 45 is pivoted at 46 to the under side of the door 43. The door 43 is secured in its horizontal closed position, vas shown in Fig-3, by clamping the two wing-nuts 41-48 against the lower lug 49. A gasket made of rubber, or other pliable material, is secured to the door 43 to provide a Water-tight joint when in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 shows the door 43 in the open or ventilating position. It is secured in this Position by clamping the wing-nuts 41-48 against the upper lug 5I. The amount of the opening may be adjusted by varying the position of the wingnuts 41--43 on the rod 45.

Fig. 2 shows the method of arranging the hatch I1 for Ventilation. An insulated plug 6I] is ordinarily provided to prevent heat entering the tank I8 and melting the refrigerant. A cover 6I is also provided to keep dirt and water from accumulating on top of the plug 6G. The cover 6I is hinged at 65 at one edge thereof to the roof structure and provided with an adjustable latch 82 to partially elevate the cover 6 I. Overlapping clips 63-64 are secured to the under side of the cover BI and the top side of the plug 6o. When it is desired to ventilate the car, the cover BI is raised to the position shown and held by the latch 62; the plug 68 is held clear of the hatch frame I8 by the clips 655-454. When the car is operated under refrigeration, the plug 6i) is wedged tightly into the hatch frame IG and insulates the tank I8.

The partition I9 is provided with a door 'I0 hinged at 'II to the partition I9. The door 10 is below the door 43 in the tank I8 toV provide a path for the Ventilating air. A latch 'I2 is provided to hold the door 'IU in the closed position and means is also provided to hold the door in the open position.

The drawings show the Ventilating door 43 positioned at one corner of the tank I8. The purpose of this is to prevent moisture from the hatch from entering the lading compartment by way of the aperture 40 in the bottom of the tank. Any other position of said aperture does not materially change the function thereof, and is included in the scope of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction designed to eliminate the door 43. The aperture 88 in the bottom 85 of the container is positioned directly below the hatch I'I and the web 8| is arranged to extend to adjacent the hatch plug 60. A pad 82 of rubber or other pliable material is fitted to the bottom of the plug 60 so that the pad 82 closes the flue 83 when the plug 68 closes the hatch. A separate door is not required to close the iiue 83. When the car is under refrigeration, both hatch I'I and flue 83 are closed by the plug 60 and when it is desired to ventilate, it is necessary only to removethe plug El). A door 84 is provided in the partition I9 for Ventilating purposes.

When a brine solution is used in the tanks it will be certain of retention to the height of the door 43. The door 43 is arranged to be clamped to the web 4I tightly to provide a watertight connection. However, workmen employed by the railroads are frequently very careless so it must be considered that the door 43 may be unclamped at times and liquid above the door would be lost, therefore, the Ventilating door 43 is spaced a distance above the bottom of the container to insure the retention of at least a part of the brine.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In `a refrigerator car, a roof provided with a hatch, a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, said tank having an aperture in the bottom thereof with an upstanding web surrounding said aperture to provide a nue communicating with said lading compartment, and closure means for said ilue.

2. In a refrigerator car, a roof provided with a hatch, a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, said tank having an aperture in the bottom thereof with an upstanding web surrounding said aperture to provide .a flue communicating with said lading compartment, closure means fo-r said flue, and means to operate said closure means to vary the area of said iiue.

3 In a refrigerator car, a roof provided with a. hatch, a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, said tank having an aperture in the bottom thereof with an upstanding websurrounding said aperture to provide a flue communicating with said lading compartment, closure means for said flue, and means to operate said closure means from within said lading compartment.

4. In a refrigerator car, a roof provided with a hatch, a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, .and a substantially horizontal partition below said tank, said tank having an aperture in the bottom thereof with an upstanding web surrounding' said aperture to provide a iiue and said partition having an opening below said aperture for communication between said flue and said lading compartment.

5. In a refrigerator car, a roof provided with a hatch, a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, said tank having an aperture in the bottom thereof with an upstanding web surrounding said aperture to provide a ue communicating with said lading compartment, said flue being underneath said hatch, and a plug adapted to close said hatch and said flue.

6. In a refrigerator car, a roof provided with a hatch, a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, a substantially horizontal partition below said tank, said tank having an aperture in the bottom thereof with an upstanding web surrounding said aperture to provide a flue, said partition having an opening below said aperture for communication between said ii-ue and said lading compartment, closure means for said iiue, means to operate said closure means from with,- in said lading compartment, and means' for closing said opening.

7. Ina refrigerator car, a roof provided with a hatch and a refrigerant tank below said hatch and above the lading compartment of the car, said tank being substantially closed except for an opening in the top communicating with said hatch, and an aperture in the bottom with an upstanding web surrounding said aperture to provide a flue communicating with said lading compartment thereby providing a path for ventilating air through said hatch and said flue to said lading compartment, said flue being positioned remote from said hatch to prevent entrance of moisture from said hatch tosaid iiue.

KURT E. ZEIDLER. 

